‘People chase world titles and I have one. They’ve got to chase me now’

Liam Smith has become the new WBO world super-welterweight champion after seeing off John Thompson with a seventh-round knockout in Manchester.

The 27-year-old Smith was given the Twitter vote of confidence by England and Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney prior to the bout for the vacant belt, and the Liverpudlian seemed to take heart as he slowly grew into the fight following a defensive first few rounds.

By the time the sixth round came Smith, one of four boxing brothers, was on the rise thanks to a few well-placed jabs and he produced the decisive punch in the seventh, leaving the referee to wave the fight in his favour.

Smith, who extended his run to 21-0-1, said: “I can’t describe how I feel right now, it just hasn’t sunk in, but I can tell how much it means to everyone around me.

“I’d be a liar if I said I never looked past Thompson but the situation that it was, I just did. I seen Shane Mosley calling out Cornelius Bundrage last week and he doesn’t even have a world title. I have the world title now, so Shane Mosley should be calling me out.

“These are massive fights and massive names. People chase world titles and I have one so they’ve got to chase me now. I’m excited to see what names I get offered now.

“I don’t really care where I defend my title but I have fulfilled one dream and now another dream is to win a world title in America. I would love to defend it back home too; I’m defending a world title wherever and that’s just amazing.”

The WBO World Championship Committee has been made aware that negotiations for a match in Manchester, England on October 10, 2015 between Liam Smith and Michel Soro for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight Championship of the World started three weeks ago, but despite Top Rank agreeing to the terms, Soro and his managers have repeatedly made strong public statements suggesting that they are at odds with his promoter over the terms presented to them.

We are also aware that in light of assurances that an agreement would be reached, tickets went on sale and your company contracted with numerous suppliers, etc. This situation, ongoing for weeks, has had a detrimental effect on the promotion of the event promotion with the public uncertain as to who Smith’s opponent will be and whether the fight will take place at all.

Given Michel Soro’s dispute with his Promoter and the power and discretion afforded to us by Section 1 (b) 19 of the WBO Regulations for World Championship Contest to determine the contestants for a Vacant Championship, we have decided to proceed pursuant to Section 20 (PROCEDURE WHEN A TITLE IS DECLARED VACANT) and declare John Thompson the “Best Classified Contender Available.”

For the above reasons, we are formally granting permission for Liam Smith to fight John Thompson for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight Championship of the World.

This determination of the WBO World Championship Committee to allow Thompson to replace Soro will not adversely affect Soro’s position within the WBO World Championship Ratings.